Editing MiniDisc (section)

== Format extensions ==
=== MD Data ===
{{Main|MD Data}}

MD Data, a format for storing computer data, was announced by Sony in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 1995 |title=Reviews / Sony's Mini-MO |url=http://www.byte.com/art/9508/sec11/art11.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961220103438/http://www.byte.com/art/9508/sec11/art11.htm |archive-date=December 20, 1996 |access-date=December 22, 2023 |website=[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]]}}</ref> Its media were generally incompatible with standard audio MiniDiscs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MiniDisc MD-Data Product Table |url=https://www.minidisc.org/md_data_table.html |access-date=December 22, 2023 |website=The MiniDisc Community Portal}}</ref> MD Data can not write to audio MDs, but only the considerably more expensive data blanks. It did see some success in a small number of multi-track recorders such as Sony's MDM-X4, Tascam's 564 (which could also record using standard audio MD discs, albeit only two tracks), and Yamaha's MD8, MD4, & MD4S.

=== MD Data2 ===
In 1997, MD Data2 blanks were introduced with 650&nbsp;MB. They were only implemented in Sony's short-lived MD-based camcorder, the DCM-M1.

=== MDLP ===
In 2000, Sony announced MDLP (MiniDisc Long Play), which added new recording modes based on the new codec ATRAC3. In addition to the standard, high-quality mode, now called SP, MDLP adds LP2 mode, which doubles the recording time – 160 minutes on an 80-minute disc – of good-quality stereo sound, and LP4, which allows four times more recording time – 320 minutes on an 80-minute disc – of medium-quality stereo sound.

The [[bitrate]] of the standard SP mode is 292&nbsp;[[kbit/s]], and it uses separate stereo coding with discrete left and right channels. LP2 mode uses a bitrate of 132&nbsp;kbit/s and also uses separate stereo coding. The third mode, LP4, has a bitrate of 66&nbsp;kbit/s and uses [[joint stereo coding]]. The sound quality is noticeably degraded compared to the other two modes, but is sufficient for many uses.

Tracks recorded in LP2 or LP4 mode play back as silence on non-MDLP players.

=== NetMD ===
[[File:Sony-MZ-N707-MD-Walkman.jpg|thumb|A NetMD Sony MiniDisc Recorder]]
Debuting in late 2001, '''NetMD''' recorders allow music files to be transferred from a computer to a recorder (but not in the other direction) over a USB connection. In LP4 mode, speeds of up to 32× real-time are possible and three Sony NetMD recorders (MZ-N10, MZ-N910, and MZ-N920) are capable of speeds up to 64× real-time. NetMD recorders all support MDLP.

When transferring music in SP mode using NetMD with SonicStage, what is transferred is actually padded LP2. That is to say that the quality of the music is that of LP2 but recorded as SP.

NetMD is a proprietary protocol that initially required proprietary software such as [[SonicStage]].  A free [[*nix]] based implementation, libnetmd, has been developed. The library allows the user to upload SP files in full quality. In 2019, a programmer named Stefano Brilli compiled the linux-minidisc CLI into a web browser-based application,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stefano.brilli.me/blog/web-minidisc/|title=The Web MiniDisc App|date=March 26, 2020|first=Stefano|last=Brilli |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230625050453/https://stefano.brilli.me/blog/web-minidisc/ |archive-date= Jun 25, 2023 }}</ref> allowing users to transfer music via USB on modern devices.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.techtelegraph.co.uk/remember-minidisc-heres-how-you-can-still-use-it-in-2020/|title=Remember MiniDisc? Here's How You Can Still Use It in 2020|date=July 25, 2020|work=TechTelegraph |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219023141/https://www.techtelegraph.co.uk/remember-minidisc-heres-how-you-can-still-use-it-in-2020/ |archive-date= Dec 19, 2020 }}</ref>

=== Hi-MD ===
{{Main|Hi-MD}}
Hi-MD is a further development of the MiniDisc format. Hi-MD media will not play on non-Hi-MD equipment, including NetMD players. The [[Hi-MD]] format, introduced in 2004, marked a return to the data storage arena with its 1&nbsp;GB discs and ability to act as a [[USB flash drive|USB drive]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/4270|title=Sony introduces Hi-MD Walkman digital music players |date=Jan 7, 2004 |website=Sony |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040201212250/http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/4270 |archive-date=1 February 2004 }}</ref> Hi-MD units allow the recording and playback of audio and data on the same disc, and can write both audio and data to standard MiniDisc media – an 80-minute MiniDisc blank could be formatted to store 305&nbsp;MB of data.